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The following is an overview of events in 1988 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.


Highest-grossing films

The top 10 films released in 1988 by worldwide gross are as follows:


Events

* May 25 – '' Rambo III'' is released as the most expensive film ever made with a production budget between $58 and $63 million. The film fails to match the box office earnings from '' Rambo: First Blood Part II'' (1985). * June 26 – Michael Keaton is first announced to play comic book superhero
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
in a forthcoming feature film to be directed by
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
and co–starring
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...
as Batman's arch nemesis, The Joker. * July 15 – ''
Die Hard ''Die Hard'' is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart (writer), Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, based on the 1979 novel ''Nothing Lasts Forever (Thorp novel), Nothing Lasts Forever'' by Roderick ...
'' defies low commercial expectations to gross $141.5 million worldwide. Hailed as an influential landmark in the action film genre, it influences a common formula for many action films in the 1990s, featuring a lone everyman against a colorful terrorist character who is usually holding hostages in an isolated setting. * September 19 – English character actor
Roy Kinnear Roy Mitchell Kinnear (8 January 1934 – 20 September 1988) was an English character actor and comedian. He was known for his acting roles in movies such as Henry Salt in the 1971 film ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', Algernon in The Be ...
suffers a fall from a horse which will prove fatal while filming '' The Return of the Musketeers'' in
Toledo, Spain Toledo ( ; ) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain, the capital of the province of Toledo and the ''de jure'' seat of the government and parliament of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla� ...
. * October 10 – ''
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' officially commences filming at Pinewood Studios in
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
, England. * October 27 – '' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' is released on VHS and laserdisc; to combat piracy, the tapeguards and tape hubs on the videocassettes are colored green, and the tape itself is affixed with a small, holographic sticker of the 1963 Universal logo (much like the holograms on a credit card), and encoded with Macrovision. In North America alone, VHS sales come to $75million. * December 16 – '' Rain Man'' is released to critical and commercial success and becomes the highest grossing film of 1988 worldwide with a gross of $355 million. Winning four
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
including Best Picture, it is the last
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
title to be nominated for Best Picture until '' Licorice Pizza'' (2021) 33 years later.
Giancarlo Parretti Giancarlo Parretti (born 23 October 1941) is an Italian financier, who has bought, sold, and operated numerous businesses. Early life Parretti was born in Orvieto, north of Rome, Italy. He worked as a waiter in London before moving to Sicily. ...
and Max Théret acquire a 52% stake in
Pathé Pathé SAS (; styled as PATHÉ!) is a French major film production and distribution company, owning a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Pathé Cinémas and television networks across Europe. It is the name of a network of Fren ...
.


Awards

Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...
(Cannes Film Festival) :'' Pelle the Conqueror'' (''Pelle erobreren''), directed by Bille August, Denmark
Golden Lion The Golden Lion () is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguished prizes. In 1970, a ...
(Venice Film Festival) :'' La leggenda del santo bevitore'' (''The Legend of the Holy Drinker''), directed by
Ermanno Olmi Ermanno Olmi (24 July 1931 – 7 May 2018)Lane, John Francis (May 7, 2018).Ermanno Olmi obituary. ''The Guardian''. theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 May 2018. was an Italian film director and screenwriter best known for directing '' Il Posto'' ( ...
, Italy / France
Golden Bear The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...
(Berlin International Film Festival) :'' Red Sorghum'' (''Hong gao liang''), directed by
Zhang Yimou Zhang Yimou (; born 14 November 1950) is a Chinese filmmaker.Tasker, Yvonne (2002). "Zhang Yimou" i''Fifty Contemporary Filmmakers'' Routledge Publishing, p. 412. . Google Book Search. Retrieved 21 August 2008. A leading figure of China's Cinem ...
, China


1988 films


By country/region

* List of American films of 1988 * List of Argentine films of 1988 * List of Australian films of 1988 * List of Bangladeshi films of 1988 * List of British films of 1988 * List of Canadian films of 1988 * List of French films of 1988 * List of Hong Kong films of 1988 * List of Indian films of 1988 ** List of Hindi films of 1988 **
List of Kannada films of 1988 A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
** List of Malayalam films of 1988 ** List of Marathi films of 1988 ** List of Tamil films of 1988 ** List of Telugu films of 1988 * List of Japanese films of 1988 * List of Mexican films of 1988 * List of Pakistani films of 1988 * List of South Korean films of 1988 * List of Soviet films of 1988 * List of Spanish films of 1988


By genre/medium

* List of action films of 1988 * List of animated feature films of 1988 * List of avant-garde films of 1988 * List of comedy films of 1988 * List of drama films of 1988 * List of horror films of 1988 * List of science fiction films of 1988 * List of thriller films of 1988 * List of western films of 1988


Births

* January 3 – Karl Glusman, American actor * January 6 – Mehwish Hayat, Pakistani actress * January 7 – Haley Bennett, American actress and singer * January 12 – Andrew Lawrence, American actor * January 14 – Tom Rosenthal, English actor, comedian and writer * January 21 – John Early, American comedian and actor * February 2 ** Amadou Ly, Senegalese-born American actor, writer and producer **
Zosia Mamet Zosia Mamet (; born February 2, 1988) is an American actress. She is known for her breakout role as Shoshanna Shapiro in the HBO series '' Girls''. Mamet also starred as Annie Mouradian in the HBO Max original series '' The Flight Attendant'' an ...
, American actress and musician * February 6 – Anna Diop, Senegalese-born American actress * February 8 – Ryan Pinkston, American actor * February 11 – Jazz Raycole, American actress * February 12 **
Afshan Azad Afshan Noor Azad-Kazi (née Azad; born 12 February 1988) is a British actress, model, and media personality. She is best known for playing the role of Padma Patil in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, beginning in 2005 with ''Harry Potter a ...
, British actress, model and media personality ** Nana Eikura, Japanese actress * February 13 ** Ferdinand Kingsley, British actor ** Erica Mendez, American voice actress * February 16 – Steven Caple Jr., American director, producer and screenwriter * February 17 – Nagita Slavina, Indonesian actress, television host, film producer, and singer * February 18 – Sarah Sutherland, Canadian-American actress * February 20 **
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
, Barbadian singer, songwriter and actress ** Tracy Spiridakos, Canadian actress * February 29 ** Reilly Dolman, Canadian actor ** Langston Fishburne, American actor * March 4 ** Josh Bowman, English actor ** Cody Longo, American actor (died 2023) * March 21 ** Luke Brandon Field, English actor and musician ** Kevin Guthrie, Scottish actor * March 22 – Tania Raymonde, American actress * March 24 – Finn Jones, English actor * March 25 – Erik Knudsen, Canadian actor * March 27 ** Brenda Song, American actress, singer and model ** Holliday Grainger, English actress * March 29 - Ansu Kabia, British actor * April 2 – Jesse Plemons, American actor * April 3 – Ruby Bentall, English actress * April 4 – Maggie Geha, American actress and model * April 6 – Mike Bailey, English actor * April 10 ** Molly Bernard, American actress ** Haley Joel Osment, American actor * April 13 ** Allison Williams, American actress ** Katie Lucas, American actress and writer * April 14 ** Ben Lloyd-Hughes, British actor ** Chris Wood, American actor * April 18 – Vanessa Kirby, English actress * April 21 ** Robbie Amell, Canadian actor and producer ** Christoph Sanders, American actor * April 23 –
Carla Quevedo Carla Quevedo (born 23 April 1988) is an Argentine actress. She is most known for her limited but crucial role in ''The Secret in Their Eyes'', in which she played Liliana Coloto. Career Her acting debut was in the year 2009 in Argentina film ...
, Argentine actress * April 25 **
Jonathan Bailey Jonathan Stuart Bailey (born 25 April 1988) is an English actor known for his dramatic, comedic, and musical roles on List of Jonathan Bailey performances, stage and screen. List of awards and nominations received by Jonathan Bailey, His accola ...
, English actor ** Sara Paxton, American singer and actress * April 27 **
Lizzo Melissa Viviane Jefferson (born April 27, 1988), known professionally as Lizzo (), is an American singer and rapper. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Houston, Texas, with her family at the age of ten. After college, she moved to Minn ...
, American singer, actress, and flautist ** Regé-Jean Page, British actor * April 30 – Ana de Armas, Cuban actress * May 1 ** Nicholas Braun, American actor ** Anushka Sharma, Indian actress * May 2 – Laura Brent, Australian actress * May 7 – Brandon Jones, American actor, producer and musician * May 16 – Jermaine Fowler, American actor, comedian, producer and writer * May 17 –
Nikki Reed Nikki Reed is an American former actress and entrepreneur best known for her role as Rosalie Hale in ''The Twilight Saga (film series), The Twilight Saga'' (2008–12). Reed rose to prominence when she co-wrote and starred in the psychological ...
, American actress and writer * May 22 - Heida Reed, Icelandic actress * June 2 –
Awkwafina Nora Lum (born June 2, 1988), known professionally as Awkwafina (), is an American actress, comedian and rapper. She rose to prominence in 2012 when her rap song "My Vag" became popular on YouTube. She then released her debut album, ''Yellow Ra ...
, American actress, comedian, writer, producer and rapper * June 4 – Li Man, Chinese actress * June 5 – Nuh Omar, Pakistani writer and director * June 7 –
Michael Cera Michael Austin Cera ( ; ; born June 7, 1988) is a Canadian actor. Over his career he has received nominations for a British Academy Film Award, three Critics' Choice Movie Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Tony Award. Cera beca ...
, Canadian actor * June 9 ** Lauren Landa, American voice actress ** Mae Whitman, American actress * June 13 – Cody Walker, American actor * June 14 – Dayo Okeniyi, Nigerian-American actor * June 16 – Jonny Weston, American actor * June 22 – Shefali Chowdhury, British actress * June 23 ** Pippa Bennett-Warner, British actress ** Isabella Leong, Hong Kong singer, actress and model * June 25 – Daniel Webber, Australian actor * July 2 – Edward Randell, English musician and actor * July 7 – Jack Whitehall, English actor, comedian, presenter and writer * July 10 – Pavlo Lee, Ukrainian actor (died 2022) * July 12 – Christine Marie Cabanos, American voice actress * July 13 – Chris Sheffield, American actor * July 14 – Elise Gatien, Canadian actress * July 15 – Aimee Carrero, Dominican-born American actress * July 18 – Chen Tang, Chinese-American actor * July 19 – Cherami Leigh, American voice actress * July 20 – Julianne Hough, American dancer, actress, singer and songwriter * July 24 – Joe Pera, American comedian, writer and actor * July 25 – Mamoudou Athie, Mauritanian-American actor and producer * July 26 – Francia Raisa, American actress * July 30 – Nico Tortorella, American actor and model * July 31 – Charlie Carver, American actor * August 1 – Max Carver, American actor * August 16 ** Kevin Schmidt, American actor ** Rumer Willis, American actress * August 17 –
Joyner Lucas Gary Maurice "Joyner" Lucas Jr. (born August 17, 1988) is an American rapper, actor and entrepreneur. Lucas first received exposure after the release of his single "Ross Capicchioni" in 2015. In June 2017, he released his fourth mixtape, ''508-5 ...
, American rapper and actor * August 24 – Rupert Grint, English actor * August 26 ** Evan Ross, American actor and musician ** Danielle Savre, American actress * August 27 – Alexa PenaVega, American actress and singer * September 6 – Jovan Adepo, English actor * September 8 – E. J. Bonilla, American actor * September 12 ** Matt Martians, American record producer ** Clara Paget, British actress * September 17 – Ritu Arya, English actress * September 19 – Celine Song, Canadian director, playwright, and screenwriter * September 22 – Sana Saeed, Indian actress * September 26 –
Lilly Singh Lilly Singh (born September 26, 1988) is a Canadian YouTuber, television host, comedian and author. She began making YouTube videos in 2010. She originally appeared under the pseudonym Superwoman (stylized IISuperwomanII), her YouTube username ...
, Canadian comedian, former talk show host and YouTuber * September 28 ** Olivia Jordan, American actress and model, Miss USA 2015 ** Hana Mae Lee, American actress, model and comedian * October 1 – Nick Whitaker, American actor * October 3 – Alicia Vikander, Swedish actress * October 4 – Melissa Benoist, American actress, singer and dancer * October 5 – Bobby Edner, American actor and singer * October 6 – Everlyn Sampi, Australian actress * October 17 – Dee Jay Daniels, American former actor * October 18 – Tessa Schram, Dutch actress and director * October 21 **
Glen Powell Glen Thomas Powell Jr. (born October 21, 1988) is an American actor and screenwriter. He began his career with small roles on television and in films such as '' Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' (2003) and '' Fast Food Nation'' (2006). Powell acted in t ...
, American actor, writer and producer ** Mark Rendall, Canadian actor * October 22 ** Corey Hawkins, American actor ** Sharon Rooney, Scottish actress * October 23 – Ritesh Rajan, American actor * October 28 – Edd Gould, British animator, artist, writer, director and voice actor (died 2012) * October 29 – Devon Murray, Irish actor * November 6 – Emma Stone, American actress * November 9 ** Nikki Blonsky, American singer and actress ** Alexandrea Owens-Sarno, American actress **
Lio Tipton Lio Tipton (formerly Analeigh Tipton; born November 9, 1988) is an American actor and fashion model. Tipton is known for being the last eliminated on Cycle 11 of ''America's Next Top Model'' and for their roles in the films '' Crazy, Stupid, L ...
(credited as Analeigh Tipton up to 2021), American model and actress * November 12 – Alistair Brammer, English actor * November 17 – Justin Cooper, American producer and former child actor * November 20 – Demetrius Shipp Jr., American actor * November 22 –
Jamie Campbell Bower James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (born 22 November 1988) is an English actor and singer. He made his feature film debut in 2007 with a supporting role in '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. He went on to feature in '' The Twilight ...
, English actor and singer * November 26 – Tamsin Egerton, English actress * November 30 ** Rotimi, Nigerian-American actor and singer ** Rebecca Rittenhouse, American actress * December 1 ** Nadia Hilker, German actress and model ** Im Si-wan, Korean actor and singer ** Zoë Kravitz, American actress * December 2 –
Alfred Enoch Alfred Lewis Enoch (born 2 December 1988) is a British and Brazilian actor. He is best known for playing Dean Thomas (Harry Potter), Dean Thomas in the fantasy film series Harry Potter (film series), ''Harry Potter'' and List of How to Get Away ...
, English actor * December 7 ** Emily Browning, Australian actress ** Benjamin Clementine, British composer, musician and actor * December 14 – Vanessa Hudgens, American actress and singer * December 15 – Gregg Chillin, English actor and writer * December 16 **
Anna Popplewell Anna Popplewell (born 16 December 1988) is an English actress. She began acting with minor roles in television films and, notably, the drama films '' Mansfield Park'' (1999) and '' Girl with a Pearl Earring'' (2003). Her breakthrough role was ...
, English actress ** Park Seo-joon, South Korean actor * December 17 – Rin Takanashi, Japanese actress and model * December 21 – Shelley Regner, American actress and singer * December 27 – Hera Hilmar, Icelandic actress * December 28 – Iwan Lewis, Welsh actor


Deaths


Film debuts


References


External links


1988 Domestic Grosses
at
Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo is an American website that tracks box-office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. The site was founded in 1998 by Brandon Gray, and was bought in 2008 by IMDb, which itself is owned by Amazon. History Brandon Gray ...

Top 1988 Movies at the Domestic Box Office
at The Numbers
Top 1988 Movies at the International Box Office
at The Numbers
Top 1988 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office
at The Numbers
Top-US-Grossing Titles Released 1988-01-01 to 1988-12-31
at
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

Most Popular Feature Films Released 1988-01-01 to 1988-12-31
at
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

List of 1988 films
at
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

List of 1988 deaths
at
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

List of 1988 births
at
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
{{Portal bar, 1980s, Film Film by year